Electronic commerce is an increasingly popular way of conducting business, typically, but not exclusively, including activities such as browsing for items; comparing product aspects such as price, color, warranties, and the like for multiple items; inspecting product details of an item; purchasing one or more items; and the like. More and more vendors are making their products and services available over electronic networks, such as the Internet and computer users have embraced electronic commerce as a legitimate shopping environment.
Both vendors and computer users greatly benefit from electronic commerce in a variety of ways. For example, users do not have to travel to a number of vendor locales to purchase a given item. Rather, a user can now purchase a desired item from the convenience of his or her home. Further, users can quickly compare a wide variety of similar products and prices from a number of vendors in order to make an informed choice in their purchases rather than spending an entire afternoon in comparison shopping. Vendors are benefited in that they can reach a much larger group of customers than those who reside in their geographic vicinity.
There are some disadvantages associated with electronic commerce. A computer user cannot try on or try out a physical product found on a vendor's electronic commerce site without visiting a so-called “brick and mortar” store. Short of visiting a physical store, the computer user must make a choice based on published information. Further, a computer user cannot request information from a knowledgeable salesperson during his/her shopping experience, though there are efforts being made to provide a comparable electronic service.
One feature of shopping, in general, that has been a mainstay of many people is the gift list, i.e., maintaining one or more lists of items that may be desirable to be purchased as gifts for another person. Many people maintain gift lists for their family, friends, colleagues, assistants, etc., such that when a gift-giving occasion arises, such as a birthday, Christmas, anniversary, graduation, retirement, and the like, they already know what to give and, quite often, where to get it.
Of course, a computer user may reference his or her gift lists during electronic commerce activities. However, this requires cumbersome coordination efforts between browsing experience and referencing a gift list. This coordination may be especially frustrating when the computer user is adding information to a gift list regarding a particular item located while browsing for items, including switching back and forth between a browser and a printed or electronic day planner or PIM (personal information manager). Clearly, it would be beneficial if a computer user's electronic shopping experience could be enhanced or integrated with the ability to maintain one or more gift lists for others.